H Potter and The Chance of Atonement
by WordBird
Summary: An alarm had gone out the moment the Gryffindor portrait-hole opened.The Fat Lady was taking no chances after that nasty experience with Sirius Black.Minerva led the mad dash to the Gryffindor dormitory and what they saw there would haunt the woman foreve


Chapter 1. The Attack

The moment she re-materialized she began the hunt. It was dark but that was a given. The spell that gave her the ability to see all magical signatures for ten hours blinded her to all else. Though she knew the sun was due in little more than three hours she would be unable to see it for another seven.

Following the faint golden hue of the portraits lining the otherwise empty hall the red head navigated her way to the nearest common**-**room.

Facing the guardian portrait she pulled out one of many concealed magical blades from her muggle jeans and wedged the frame open. She crept inside.

Two elongated white splotches were the only signs of life. Knowing the room's layout beyond doubt she slowly made her way toward them, her ears perked for any hint of her discovery. Making a final pause behind the squashy couch, all warm from the fire, she replaced her blade and drew out two others. By the look of them one would say they were no more than empty hilts. However that one would be _very_ wrong.

Carefully balancing the weight of one knife in each hand the infiltrator pounced. Giving neither lounger enough time to utter a sound she thrust a blade in each heart, then withdrew, watching dispassionately as the lights flickered and went out.

Continuing on she tiptoed up the spiral staircase to the first door on the left. The room she had frequently been snuck into her first year at Hogwarts. She could still remember the way Hermione used to wring her hands at the thought of Professor McGonagall finding out that she continually snuck a Slytherin into the Griffindor dorms. No doubt those ugly curtains still hung around the four**-**posters.

It took fifteen minuets to dispatch the whole of Griffindor tower, and another half hour to settle up the Ravenclaws. She was silently stepping her way to the Hufflepuffs when she ran into trouble.

Rounding a sharp corner she nearly stepped on a small white dash. A familiar. Whose owner was no doubt close behind. Forgoing all caution she raced back down the corridor her feet thudding on the worn carpet. Under no circumstance could she be caught, especially while she lacked any true sight.

Reaching the staircases she groped for a rail and flung herself over, landing on a stair mid**-**move. The stairs, a part of the castle that seemed to have a life of their own just barely gave off a glimmer, but it was enough.

Leaping level to level her feet finally found ground and she tore off in the direction she knew to be the nearest access to the outside. The sound of angry strides soon met her ears, coming closer and closer. A spell whizzed past her head. She stumbled, and felt the cold wash of a stunner spell pour over her.

Just managing to throw the strong curse off she tried to calculate how much farther until she needed to take the last turn. On the ground floor the light of portraits were far sparser, and the walls were invisible with the sight. She turned…a foot too soon… and slammed into hard stone. Falling back, her left side sparking with pain, she was hit once more and this time she could offer little resistance.

She struck the ground with a resounding smack, and her vision went all together.



An alarm had gone out the moment the Gryffindor portrait-hole had been opened. The Fat Lady was taking no chances after that nasty experience with Sirius Black. The entire teaching staff was up within ten minuets. Minerva had led the mad dash to the Gryffindor dormitory and what they had found there would no doubt haunt the old woman for the rest of her teaching career; Hermione Granger and Harry Potter both lying face down and unmoving in front of the fireplace, text books and study pages scattered the scene.

After a moment of frozen fear it was Severus that had bent down to check for a pulse. He had closed his eyes in relief when he found both hearts beating normally. Poppy and Minerva had both ran up the stairs to check on the other students as he and the head master had attempted to wake the two children. It turned out to be a useless endeavor for no matter what spell they tried they could not wake the unconscious pair.

When Minerva and Poppy had returned and reported that the rest of Gryffindor was in a similar state of unconsciousness the headmaster ordered a fully search, the castle was locked down, and Aurur Kingsley Shaklebolt was sent for immediately. Severus had been on the way to check on his Slytherins when he heard thundering on the stairs above his head.

Severus Snape looked down at the young woman splayed at his feet. Absentmindedly he shot green sparks behind him, signaling his catch. She was not at all what he had expected to find.

He bent down to get a closer look at his prisoner. She appeared very young, perhaps not quite eighteen, with long, unkempt red hair, and sunless, pale skin. Multiple scars encircled her wrists and ran up her arms, and a shiny new burn took up the entire area of her right palm. She wore over-worn muggle clothes; a holey black t-shirt, and a pair of faded, stained jeans that looked at least two sizes too big.

Hurried footsteps behind him signaled the others' arrival.

"Did you catch him Snape? Who is it?" Called Mr. Weasley trotting heavily up to him, his balding head shinning with perspiration.

"Not him," The potions master replied, moving aside. "Her."

The newcomers stared down at the strange young woman.

"Blimey," Arthur exclaimed. "She can't be any older than Fred or George."

The Headmasters eyes looked sadly down at the young woman, his weathered brow furrowed in thought as he took out his wand and performed a wordless mobilicorpus. Turning, he addressed his staff. "Severus, Remus, and Kingsly, check on the other houses, and then kindly join me in my office. Minerva, Poppy, please see to the children, everyone else scour the castle. I want to know if there is anyone else in my school." He said, his voice unnaturally severe, before he headed for his office with the young woman floating before him.

Poppy Pomphrey called after him. "Albus, she is only a child."

Severus turned to face her. "May I remind you Poppy that that _child_ managed to get into Hogwarts with out tripping any alarms, and then incapacitated an entire house." He said scathingly.

No one knew what to say to this, as it was quite true, so they set off wordlessly, thoughts flying a mile a minuet.



When the three men reached the Headmaster's office a half hour later Albus was already nursing his third cup of tea. His eyes fixed on the young woman bound to a straight back chair on one side of the room.

"The other houses?" he asked, his eyes never leaving their captive.

"The Slytherin and Hufflepuff houses have not been disturbed, however the Ravenclaws are all under the same enchanted sleep as the Griffindors. We have informed the ladies of their condition and they are making a more thorough assessment of the students as we speak. They hope to have some answers very soon." Replied Snape taking a seat on the stained sofa pushed against the opposite side of the room next to the Headmaster's desk so that he too could observe the prisoner.

"How could this have happened?" Albus asked no one in particular. "Have I been blind to our defenses?"

The other two men took a seat next to Severus, each declining a cup of tea.

Remus Lupin, once again filling the post of DADA teacher, replied. "You know as well as I Albus that Hogwarts is the safest place for these children. The wards have been impenetrable, up until now. You could not have foreseen this."

"I think it is she is who blind." Severus said abruptly.

The other three men looked at him questioningly.

"How do you figure?" asked the auror.

"She ran into the wall, as if she didn't even see it." Severus said, looking at their prisoner with a piercing gaze, as if he could see all her secrets if he just stared hard enough.

Kingsly Shacklebolt stretched trying to release the nervous tension in his body. It was not every day that he was summoned at two in the morning for a break in at Hogwarts. "I wonder why just the two houses were attacked." He said.

"She was probably caught before she could finish the job." Severus replied dryly.

"Job? The imperious curse?" Asked Remus.

"Perhaps." Dumbledor replied, setting down his cup. "We won't know until we question her. Severus do you have some Veritaserum handy?

"Of course." Severus said sounding slightly affronted. As if there should be any doubt of that.

There was a sudden knock on the door.

"Come in Minerva." The headmaster called.

Minerva McGonagall Head Mistress, and Head of Gryffindor stepped into the office still dressed in a tartan nightdress, bed-coat, and cap. "The children are fine Albus. Their life signs are all normal." She paused then said, in a very rushed manner, "However, they seem to have lost their magic."

"What!" Remus and Kingsley exclaimed.

"How is that possible?" asked Severus.

Minerva shook her head in bewilderment. Looking as if her emotions were about to catch up with her. "Poppy has examined nearly every single one, She says that magically, they 'look' like sqwibs or rather… muggles." The woman finished reluctantly.

"Is it permanent?" Albus asked, frown lines appearing from nowhere.

"We can only wait and see." She said in a worried tone.

"Very well, Minerva. Thank you. Please continue to keep an eye on them. I will join you as soon as I can."

"Of course Albus." Glancing briefly at the bound young woman she left the office closing the door behind her, and the four men fell into silence.

"Well gentlemen, if you're ready? I believe it is time to see what our guest has to say for herself." Dumbledor said rising.

The others followed his example, and at the signal Kingsley drew his wand.



Hayden came to with the warm tingles of 'enervate' still tickling at her fingertips. Silence surrounded her and it took a moment to remember where she was and what was happening. The memory fell into place along with the feeling of doom. She had been caught. The whole operation was blown and there was very little chance of getting out alive.

Slitting her eyes she was nearly blinded by the bright, white fires floating a foot in front of her. She shifted slightly in the hard wood chair she was bound to instinctively testing the strength of the bonds. There was a quick inhaling of breath by her left ear, then, "Albus."

Hayden blinked. Albus?

"What is your name child?" a soft voice asked.

Hayden blinked again. That certainly sounded like Albus Dumbledor, though she could count on a single hand the few times she had heard his voice sound so stiff, so unmoved. If they thought she was going to fall for a con like that they had another thing coming.

"Answer me." The voice came again, firmer.

Hayden kept silent. She was pissed. Not only had she failed, but it hurt to even think of Albus. She refused to acknowledge the fool that was impersonating him. There was a moment of silence and then Hayden felt a slight nudge at her mental walls, but they were exceptionally strong and would take a great amount of power and time to crack. She sensed more than heard the mans disgruntled 'hmm.'

"Severus if you please?" the voice said.

Anger surged through Hayden. How dare they! Was nothing sacred?

A calloused hand pulled open her mouth undeterred by her deep scowl and bitter a liquid hit her tongue the taste all too familiar. Fighting the need to swallow, as her mouth was held shut and her throat massaged, she flaked off a thin square disk from the roof of her mouth and swallowed the lot. Slumping in her chair she allowed her eyes to lose focus. With any luck they would believe the Veritaserum had taken effect.

"Good." The voice said. "What is your name?"

"Hayden Lilith Potter." She said. There was no reason to disguise what they already knew.

There was a brief scoff.

"Why did you attack my students?"

Hayden allowed a small laugh to break through, adding to the façade of being under the influence. "I didn't." She answered truthfully. Students. Ha. She thought ruefully. There were no true students residing in the castle any longer. They had seen to that. Why were they bothering to play these games?

"Are you sure it's taken affect?" A deep silky voice boomed from her left. She was sure she had heard it before.

"What are you implying?" Replied another voice, this one far too recognizable. Inside she fumed attempting to appear unaffected.

"Nothing." said the deep voice.

"If you doubt the potions effectiveness why don't you test it?" the voice of Severus Snape sneered. There was a pause then, 'Smack!'

Hayden's head reeled to the side from the harsh blow, her left cheek flaming with pain. The beast inside her rose, and she could sustain the façade no more. She lunged at the flare she knew to be responsible. The bonds on her wrists stretched as her body grew, and with one small jerk they snapped.

There was a single gasp as she stood**-** a full foot taller than before. Her whole body appeared to have been lengthened; her skin was pulled tight over a now more defined bone structure. Her blazing green eyes rapidly turned an eerie gold, the pupils dilated. All together she was a haunting but beautiful sight.

Turning to her attacker she grabbed the man by the throat and slammed him into the wall, completely unaffected by the hexes thrown at her from the other three men in the room. Slowly she tightened her grip and slid him up the wall, his feet dangling. The rancid smell of fear met her nose and she grinned, showing off her overgrown canines.

In a last ditch attempt to regain control of the situation Remus and Severus dropped their ineffective wands and jumped the creature, each latching onto a bare forearm. Instantly they felt it.

Kingsly was dropped and hit the floor hard, gasping for breath. He scrambled away, watching as the three joined figures shook violently.

Dumbledore stepped forward, fear in place of the usual twinkle, but before he could even begin to analyze the situation the three fell to the floor unconscious. He watched in amazement as Severus began to change. Wrinkles melted away, loose skin tightened, hair shortened, and lastly his unhealthy pallor pinked. He became the perfect image of a twenty**-**five year**-**old, though one that could use a bit more sleep.

A slight shift caught the headmaster's eye. Kingsley Shacklebolt had used his returned freedom to retie his attacker whom had once again become a short, malnourished young woman.

But wait…what was that? Dumbledore knelt before their young prisoner. Brushing back a single strand of red hair he stared at the lightning bolt shaped scar that had appeared above her striking green eyes.




End file.
